To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance his Department gave to (a) amateur sports clubs and (b) sport in schools in (i) Southend and (ii) Essex in each year since 1997; what projects were supported; whether there were restrictions on the use of this funding; and if he will make a statement. (189003)

Financial support for community sport from public sources is primarily channelled through Sport England which dispenses Exchequer and lottery funds for sport The tables show how much Exchequer and lottery funding has been allocated through Sport England to (a) amateur sports clubs and (b) sport in schools in (i) Southend and (ii) Essex.

In addition, the Big Lottery Fund has allocated £9.1 million from the New Opportunities for PE and Sport initiative to sports facilities projects in Essex and the Football Foundation has awarded a further £12 million in grants. We do not hold data giving the yearly breakdown of awards or grants made by the Big Lottery Fund or the Football Foundation, nor do we hold details of specific awards made by these organisations to projects in Southend.

Figures given prior to 2001-02 are lottery only as Sport England advises that it is not possible to provide the requested information for Exchequer Funding back to 1997. This is because it changed its budget management software at the start of 2001-02 and does not have information before that date readily available.

At the end of January 2008, there are 170 amateur sports clubs registered with the Community Amateur Sports Club Scheme (CASCs) in Essex and Southend in the following sports:

As of 1 April 2004, registered CASCs enjoy the following benefits:

Mandatory relief of 80 per cent. on non-domestic (business rates) rates for CASCs in England and Wales.

Exemption from corporation tax on:

bank and building society interest

trading income up to £30,000.

income from property up to £20,000 and

Exemption from capital gains tax on disposals of assets.

Donors to CASCs are able to give using the following relief’s:

Gift aid for individuals. A registered CASC can reclaim up to 28p in tax for every £1.

Inheritance tax

Gifts of assets to a CASC on a no gain/no loss basis for capital gains purposes for both individuals and companies.

Gifts of trading stock and plant and machinery by businesses.

The precise value of these benefits to registered clubs in Southend and Essex is not known.

I will place a summary of projects in Southend and Essex that have benefited from funding in the Libraries of both Houses.

In terms of restrictions on the use of funding, these have been consistently in line with lottery policy and each application for funding is assessed on its individual merits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what public funding was made available for sports clubs and facilities in (a) Southend and (b) Essex in each year since 1997; how much and what proportion of these funds was earmarked for Paralympic sports; what restrictions were placed on the use of these funds; and if he will make a statement. (189004)

The full range of information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Since 1997, over £4 billion has been invested in sport in England by Government and the national lottery distributing bodies. Since 2000, £47 million has been invested in Paralympic sport in Great Britain—we do not hold data about specific awards to Paralympic sports projects below this level.

Figures from Sport England show that £29.6 million has been awarded to sports projects in Essex and £2 million to projects in Southend. The table gives details of grants and awards made by Sport England to Essex and Southend during the period 1997-98 to 2007-08.

In addition, the Big Lottery Fund has allocated £9.1 million from the New Opportunities for PE and Sport initiative to sports facilities projects in Essex and the Football Foundation has awarded a further £12 million in grants. We do not hold data giving the yearly breakdown of awards or grants made by the Big Lottery Fund or the Football Foundation, nor do we hold details of specific awards made by these organisations to projects in Southend.

Each of the individual Sport England, Big Lottery Fund or Football Foundation programmes or initiatives has its own set criteria which must be met before funding can be awarded.